The present application relates to a semiconductor structure and a method of forming the same. More particularly, the present application relates to a semiconductor structure including an antifuse that is embedded in a semiconductor substrate, and a method of forming such a semiconductor structure.
An antifuse is an electrical device that performs the opposite function to a fuse. Whereas a fuse starts with a low resistance and is designed to permanently break an electrically conductive path (typically when the current through the path exceeds a specified limit), an antifuse starts with a high resistance and is designed to permanently create an electrically conductive path (typically when the voltage across the antifuse exceeds a certain level).
On-chip antifuses are essential elements for semiconductor chips containing FinFETs or vertical transistors and are used in a variety of applications such as system-on-chips. In such technology, conventional antifuses are planar and are formed on, or above, a surface of a semiconductor substrate. As such, conventional antifuses require space for their fabrication which is limited for tightly integrated FinFET or vertical transistor structures.
There is thus a need for providing a semiconductor structure including an antifuse that can be implemented in semiconductor chips containing FinFETs or vertical transistors in which the antifuse takes up less space than a conventional planar antifuse that is formed upon, or above, a semiconductor substrate.